National Taiwan Ocean University held the graduation ceremony on June 3rd at the Stadium. This year, there are 15 doctoral students, 572 master's students, 1,362 undergraduate students, 232 in-service master's degree program students, and 91 continuing education undergraduate students, totaling 2,272 graduates. After a two-year hiatus, the physical graduation ceremony brought excitement and pride to the graduates and their families, filling the campus with joy. During the ceremony, President Hsu Tai-wen encouraged the graduates to face any challenges with the spirit of resilience and perseverance, which are the characteristics of NTOUers. He emphasized that by persevering and never giving up, they will have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. He urged the students to be confident and work hard on their life journey. The graduation ceremony also invited Keelung City Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang, alumnus association president Jason Lin, and outstanding alumnus Chen Chao-nan from Class for 2022 to bless the graduates.

President Hsu Tai-wen giving speech.

President Hsu Tai-wen said that the hottest topic recently is "running"! "If you can't outrun yesterday's time, then surpass your past self." Everyone's starting point, conditions, and luck are different. Today, as you step out of the gate of learning and officially enter society, each person's experiences will be different. Don't lose confidence in yourself because of others' achievements. Don't let others' pace disrupt your own rhythm. Life is long, remember that every setback and challenge is an opportunity for growth. Please believe in yourself. Go beyond yourself. According to the latest survey data on the flow of NTOU graduates, about 50% of students choose full-time employment after graduation. It is worth mentioning that 34.4% have already found full-time employment before graduation, and 25.5% found employment within one month. The degree of alignment between their professional abilities and job requirements reaches 74.31%. Nearly 80% of the graduates expressed overall satisfaction with their current jobs, demonstrating that NTOU's talent cultivation direction is in line with societal needs and employment environment. 

The graduate representative speech was delivered by Wang Yun-ting, a student from the Bachelor's Degree Program in Ocean Law and Policy. During her studies, she actively participated in the NTOU Master of Ceremonies Team and hosted nearly 20 large-scale celebrations and events on and off-campus. Her rich stage experience and dignified image earned her the honor of being an outstanding youth in the country in 112. She said that water is the bridge of NTOUers, the common memory of the graduates. Having experienced the test of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to feel the atmosphere on-site became even more precious. Wang Yun-ting expressed gratitude to the teachers for their guidance and encouragement from peers, allowing the graduates to gather the courage to ride wave after wave of life and become steadfast sailors, setting sail in the rainbow after the rain.
 

Janika Afisha Williams, a Saint Vincentian student from the Marine Biology Research Institute, delivered the English speech on behalf of the graduates. She quoted the famous American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night” to encourage the graduates. She expressed gratitude to NTOU faculties during her seven years of study at NTOU for bachelor's and master's degrees and is delighted to have chosen NTOU as her second home. Janika was a teaching assistant for professional courses, helping international students understand the experiments. She also participated in various cultural activities, sharing her home country's traditional dances, costumes, and food, deepening mutual understanding between NTOU, Taiwan, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
 

The ceremony concluded with the President and deans of the various colleges conferring diplomas and presenting awards of excellence to the graduates. All the graduates received blessings and celebrated their graduation by tossing their caps high in the air. Finally, under the brilliant fireworks, the graduates stepped into their promising future and set sail for new horizons. To our all NTOU graduates, Happy Graduation Day!